Holiday Entertainment Sparkles with Jewel’s Handmade Holiday Tour

Most people first became of Jewel’s soulful sound in the mid 1990s when her first album, Pieces of You, came out.

“It was at the height of grunge,” says Jewel in a recent interview with Village Green. And although her first album had undertones of the same anger you’ll find in grunge music, it was channeled toward social justice. Her music felt more like the sounds of Edie Brickell, 10,000 Maniacs and Suzanne Vega–folk rock with a conscience. Her thought-provoking lyrics in “You Were Meant for Me” and “Who Will Save Your Soul” were everywhere on the radio and Pieces of You soared on the pop charts.

Jewel

Since then, Jewel has released an additional 11 studio albums, was nominated for 4 Grammys and sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Her music styles range from dance-pop to country and children’s music. “I don’t believe in genre. I follow my muse and try to remain authentic,” she says. ‘I never let anyone tell me what I need to be.” It’s easy to believe she was mentored from her early career by Neil Young and Bob Dylan.

Now you can see Jewel live in her Handmade Holiday Tour at The Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, on Tuesday, December 11 at 8 p.m.

Right now 1970s sound is on Jewel’s mind. “I’m working on an album where you might hear hints of style ranging from Rod Stewart to Marvin Gaye to Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell,” Jewel says. “I have about 40 songs so far, and I’m not sure what’s going to make it on the album.” We should find out next year.

Jewel is an Alaska native, whose first musical performances were yodeling with her father. As homesteaders, Jewel’s family spent a lot of time making music together and creating handmade crafts. The Handmade Holiday Tour is an extension of her family life, which is featured in the Discovery Channel’s Alaska: The Last Frontier.

“Where I come from, everyone sings and writes. This tour is a way for me to be with my whole family for the holidays. On The Holiday Tour we tell stories, sing songs, I play some acoustic guitar, and we take requests,” says Jewel. In the lobby you’ll find the kinds of crafts her family make for each other over the holidays. And in fact, many of the things for sale are made by her family, including some made by Jewel’s 7-year-old son.

So do like Alaskans do when it’s cold outside. Bring the family, your down home holiday spirit, and check out Jewel’s Handmade Holiday Tour. Buy your tickets here.